Rollators and snow and ice

[ssusan]

Any Tips? Will avoid going out for the most part but impossible for it to be 100%.
With Canadian crutch I put an ice pack thing on the end. That helped a lot.

[Virginia]

Ssusan, are you saying you use a Rollatora and you are going out in snow and ice? Are you sure it is not possible to avoid it? Is there anyone to help you if this is what you are saying? This is not a good scenario. I don't have any tips, other than to order groceries and stay put, or get someone to help you. Even that is not the best of ideas.

Good Luck! If snow hasn't started yet get stocked up on everything you think you might need. One time I put thick socks over my shoes because I saw it on TV. It really did give much better traction.

[ssusan]

Typo and couldnt edit subject . It’s rollators.
There are things I have to do: bloodwork, Ocrevus infusion. Buying boots I can put brace in, thanksgiving dinner...
My husband is doing a lot of grocery shopping.

[agate]

You have boots that are meant for walking in the snow/ice--with corrugated soles? Those gripper deals that you can put over your boots for extra traction might work. I have them but can't recall ever using them. They're a pain to put on. By the time I'd finish tugging and pulling at them to get them on right, I'd be too tired to go out.

At about the time I got those, I must have been coming to terms with the whole idea of just staying home if the weather was snowy, icy or too cold.

So they just sit there in my closet, with their sharp little prongs that are meant to cut through any ice. I don't really trust them to do the trick.

I've had some very scary episodes while out in the cold, where I suddenly lost all sensation below the waist. I don't understand this but I was somehow able to move my legs anyway--to get off of the patch of ice I'd been standing on, or to get up the steps to the bus I was boarding. I don't want that happening again. The next time I might not be able to move my legs and might fall. I've fallen entirely too many times, and sometimes ice was involved.

I hope you'll take Virginia's advice and plan to stay in.

[agate]

Typo and couldnt edit subject . It’s rollators.
There are things I have to do: bloodwork, Ocrevus infusion. Buying boots I can put brace in, thanksgiving dinner...
My husband is doing a lot of grocery shopping.

Have you thought about calling the lab where the bloodwork would be done and the infusion place and asking about possible transportation if the weather is bad? Around here many places just shut down if there are icy conditions. They might do that too, even if it means postponing your infusion.

They don't specialize in snow removal in some of these West Coast towns because they think they "never" have any snow--even though there have been periods of two weeks when we've been snowed in. They just close up, cancel everything and hope it melts before long.



In your area you can't count on that thaw happening any time so very soon though, but they might have other ways of getting you there if you explain your mobility problems.

Have you thought of renting a wheelchair and possibly having someone push it (with you in it of course) so you can get to the places you'd like to get to?

I haven't tried my rollator on snow and ice much at all but have an impression it's not very safe.

[ssusan]

I have a wheel chair and my husband will push it. Our drive way is steep and getting to car in wheelchair or with rollator is scary. I haven’t driven since I broke my hip. Cant figure out how to manage this stuff on my own.

[agate]

With a responsible person pushing the wheelchair, you shouldn't have to worry. Does the wheelchair have a safety strap for added security? It would keep you from falling out of it if the person doing the pushing hits a snag and the chair suddenly pitches forward.

I would not try propelling the wheelchair myself while sitting in it if there was any ice. Other brave souls might do things like that--I don't know. I wouldn't.

[Sunshine]

Main goal: Not to break a bone from falling due to icy conditions
Secondary goal: Blood work and Ocrevus.

My strategy is to postpone the blood work and Ocrevus pending weather. Call infusion center re the problem.

In my area, for $50 concierge phlebotomist comes to the home to collect blood sample and they then take it to lab such as quest: just an idea as a back up plan.

You broke your hip. So you know how bad it is to break a bone.

Sorry youre in this position. Only you know what’s doable.

But keeping your bones intact might be priority one at this point in time? Good luck, let us know ?

[Howie]

"These boots are made for walkin',
and that's just what they'll do,
one of the days these boots
are gonna walk all over you."

[Virginia]

Sunshine made a good point about keeping your bones in tact. Priority number one.

Howie just couldn’t help himself.😏

[stillstANNding]

Ssusan, Sunshine’s post jogged my memory.

For blood draw, my mom has “home draw” ordered by her MD and fulfilled by Quest or by the nurse as she still has a nurse every couple of weeks. I know the Quest draw was by a Quest employee and payed for by Mom’s Medicare Advantage. She pays a small, $20 or less, co-pay.

For transportation, we used to call the local ambulance (Rescue 8) and book non-emergency transportation for my dad. He had had a stroke and used a walker.

Hope this helps. Good luck, I know you want your Ocrevus on time.

ANN

[ssusan]

You guys have so much common sense. And I have Osteoporosis apparently. The day I broke my hip I also broke a rib (bad day)
and they told me I had broken a rib the previous month.
I learned I had a UTi at the time.
I have a tendency to get all macho about things. After falling in the house and breaking a rib(I later learned) I took Advil and went grocery shopping. It’s when I got home and was opening the hatch of my car and leaned back a little and kept going. Bad day.

[Lazarus]

Hello Susan,
Ann’s advice is good. I have always wondered what I would do on snowy days. I think if someone drops you off by the door and runs in to get a wheelchair it would make the most sense for the infusions. Hard to push a rollater with any bumps in the snow so I do not use mine much in the winter. No good options.

[agate]

Macho = bad
Surviving = good

Someone's been exploring the idea of giving Tysabri infusions at home. They don't have that in place yet but if they set it up for Tysabri, seems to me it could be set up for Ocrevus as well--?

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